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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mark — a grade
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. charge — a price
  5. can — a tin
  6. face — to confront
  7. band — a music group
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. charge — in control
  11. face — to point toward
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. tube — a container
  15. face — part of the head
  16. can — a tin
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. staff — employees
  19. charge — electricity
  20. band — a ring
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com